On Sept. 17, 2023 Cecelia Marie (White) Boos Patton, 88, formerly of Atchison and known by many friends and acquaintances as the “Butterfly Lady,” peacefully accepted her call to Heaven, a call she dedicated her whole life to.

A Vigil Service will be held at Arensberg-Pruett Funeral Home in Atchison, Kansas on Friday, October 6, at 6:00 p.m., with visitation to follow until 8:00 p.m. Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, October 7, at St. Benedict Church in Atchison. Inurnment will follow at Mt. Calvary Cemetery, also in Atchison, beside her husband, Richard, and her daughter, Carol.

In lieu of flowers the family suggests donations to Mt. Calvary Cemetery or St. Francis Xavier Church in St. Joseph, Mo., where Cecelia was baptized, confirmed, and married to Richard, and may be left in care of Arensberg-Pruett Funeral Home.

Cecelia was born to James F. Sr. and Lily Gertrude (Moss) White on March 20, 1935 in St. Joseph. She graduated from the former Convent of the Sacred Heart High School there in 1953. While attending a dance co-hosted by Christian Brothers Catholic High School in St. Joseph, she met Richard “Dick” Boos. They were married April 7, 1956 at St. Francis Xavier Church.

The couple bought their first home in Highland, Kan., where Dick and his brother, Gene, first ran an appliance store then established the Boos Grain and Fertilizer Company. In 1969 Cecelia and Dick and their five children moved to Atchison, where he managed a second plant location that was built on River Road along the Missouri River. On Oct. 1, 1973, Dick perished in an automobile accident while en route to a business appointment in St. Joseph.

On Nov. 25, 1976, Cecelia married Kermitt M. Patton and the family moved to Lakewood, Colo., and eventually to Westminster, Colo. After moving to Colorado, she opened up her own business selling Love Boxes, a gift item with a touching poem that she sold all over the country. He passed away on Feb. 14, 2003. In 2018, she moved to Kansas City, Mo., to be near her daughters Diane and Joan.

Having now embarked on her own new beginnings, Cecelia is joyfully reunited with her creator, Jesus Christ, and many cherished family members and friends who have gone before her. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her daughter, Carol Marie Boos, two sisters and two brothers and their spouses, Virginia (Joe) Kneib, Theresa (James) Peters, and James F. Jr. (Mary Lou) White and David White, as well as her sister-in-law, Judy White, and stepson, Dana Patton.

She is survived by her brother, John T. White, Martinez, Ga.; her children, Diane Boos (Steve) Pickman, Atchison, Joan Boos Corsi, Kansas City, Mo., Richard F. Jr. (Ty Schott) Boos, Denver, and Nicholas (Joni) Boos, Wichita; Her grandchildren, Matthew Pepper, Benjamin (Angela) Pepper, and Nathan (Briana) Dougherty; and a great-grandson, Weston Pepper, all of Kansas City, Mo.

When she married Kermitt Patton she acquired a “BONUS” family and she loved them all. Her three step children, Gregg (Shelley) Patton, Port Ludlow, Wash., Marci Patton (Raul) Aguirre, Poulsbo, Wash., Melissa (Markus Neshat) Patton, Seattle, Wash. She is also survived by 12 step grandchildren; and 22 step great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.